Itama's lullaby for a stormy night
by bmidd111
Summary: A young woman decided to adopt a child. The choice proves to be beneficial for both the child- and his new mother.


_Naruto/real world crossover fanfic_

29 year old Bethany Middleton was a young woman living alone. She had no husband and no boyfriend, but she desperately wanted a child of her own- she felt she was ready for that responsibility. Besides, she wanted to give another what she had had all her life and what they'd been denied. So that morning, she went to the local orphanage to see if she could find someone that she liked. As she walked into the building, she was met with the bright smile of the head matron of the orphanage.

"Hello, I'm here to adopt a child" she said brightly. The woman beamed, "of course, the children are right this way ma'am" she replied, and walked down a long corridor, Bethany following behind. They reached a door at the end of the hall. The woman opened it, and they were met with the sight of many children laughing and playing with one another. "Just have a look and see if there are any young ones that catch your eye" she said. Bethany nodded, walking throughout the room slowly. She smiled gently at each child as she passed them, mentally crossing the ones that were too loud or exuberant off in her head as she looked at them.

Eventually she came right to the back of the large room and she'd still had no luck in picking a child. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Or should I say someone. He was very young, about five years old. Sitting by himself in the corner was a boy with short half brown, half white hair and brown eyes. He looked very sad and alone, and Bethany frowned. Being a diehard Naruto fan, she immediately recognised this boy as looking exactly like one of the more unfortunate characters that didn't even make it to the hidden village's era, and who died in the warring states. The youngest brother of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage. The young woman walked back to the front of the room where the other woman was still waiting. "Have you picked out someone already?" she asked happily. Bethany frowned, "at the very back of this room, there is a small boy with brown and white hair sitting by himself- may I ask who he is?" she asked.

The woman frowned suddenly, "His name is Itama- he doesn't interact with the other children, and always seems lost in a world of his own. He's a very quiet child, and he normally just sits in the corner of whatever room he's in at the time by himself, and ignores everyone," she explained, "we've all tried to talk to him, but he doesn't speak to anyone- the boy's been like that since he arrived here as a baby five years ago, just appeared on our doorstep, wrapped in an old piece of cloth, with only a single piece of paper with his name written on it- never makes a sound except during thunderstorms, where he cry's nonstop, and nothing anyone says or does will calm him down," she sighed, "the hopeful parents don't seem interested in him, so it looks like little Itama will be here a long time" she said sadly.

Bethany frowned, "I'll take him" she said, without any hesitancy or uncertainty in her voice. The matron's eyes brightened, "really? Oh that's wonderful- finally that poor boy will have a family and a home!" she said excitedly, and bustled off to get his things from his room. Bethany watched her go, before turning back to look at the boy- no, her _son_ she corrected herself. It was so strange, his resemblance to Itama Senju was insane, he even had the same name. _'Well'_ she thought with a soft smile, _'I suppose he's Itama Middleton now, isn't he?'_

 _ **Ì.Ľ**_

After signing the paperwork, and grabbing Itama's things off the orphanage matron, Bethany watched, while a quiet and shy Itama was led out into the office by another woman who was holding his hand. The boy stared at her with nervousness, and Bethany had to admit she was nervous also- but, she swore to herself that she would make this work. She kneeled down in front of the child, a gentle smile on her face, "hello, my name is Bethany Middleton, and I'll be your new mama from today, if that's alright with you, Itama-Chan?" she asked softly. Itama stared at the lady in front of him a little fearfully.

She was young and very pretty, with a soft and Kind voice. She didn't look scary or mean in the slightest, but something in the back of his mind was screaming at him: _be cautious! Don't trust too quickly or you could be hurt again!_ Itama couldn't remember ever being hurt by another person. The older ladies that took care of him here at the orphanage had always been kind and gentle, encouraging him to play and laugh like the other children. But he was too shy and that same voice always stopped him from approaching the other kids, or even the other ladies. He didn't know what had happened to make him so afraid and wary of other people, but he was too young to really question it. But now here this lady was, saying that she was gonna be his new mama, though the voice inside the back of his head once again urged him to keep his distance.

Itama though really wanted a family of his own. He was tired of being afraid of every person around him. His head didn't want to trust, but his heart couldn't bare the pain of his self-isolation anymore. So- slowly, and with a quivering hand, Itama reached up and took the pretty lady's own. Bethany smiled softly in reassurance, stroking the back of her new sons hand with a gentle touch. She only said: "come" in a very soft and comforting voice, while picking up Itama's possessions in her other hand. She carefully led him out onto the street and over to her car. After quietly putting his bags into the boot, she helped the small child into the back seat and put his seatbelt on around his waist for him. After closing the back door, Bethany quickly went around and slid into the driver's seat, strapping her own seatbelt around her chest and fixing her mirrors.

She watched him for a moment through the rear-view mirror, before starting the car and beginning the journey home. Itama said nothing the whole way there, while dark storm clouds began to gather in the sky overhead. Soon they arrived home and Bethany brought her new son and his things inside. After a quiet dinner, both went to bed early.

 _ **Ì.Ľ**_

Thunder rumbled through the sky that night as the storm raged outside Bethany's house. Itama moaned in his sleep as he tossed and turned, trapped in a nightmare. In his nightmare he was holding a short dagger in his hand, while five tall men surrounded him in the dark. One of the men threw a dagger close to his shoulder and he flinched, closing his eyes. When he opened them, he stared at five pairs of terrifying red eyes, as the men laughed cruelly at his fear. The boy trembled violently as tears of terror flowed down his cheeks. The last thing he saw was a dagger coming right at him, before he woke, gasping with fear of his 'death'. He lay their panting and shivering. When a bright streak of lightning flashed outside his window, illuminating his bedroom, the boy curled up in a small ball of fear.

Thunder rumbled outside like a hungry animal, and another flash of lightning tore through the sky. Itama whimpered with fright, tears trailing down his cheeks as his breathing became more ragged. When more lightning flashed outside, the boy could no longer stand it and he jumped out of bed and went to his door, tearing it open and rushing out into the shadows of the house. As if it were chasing him, lighting struck again outside the windows, flashing through the hallway and casting terrifying shadows on the walls and floor and making him run faster to the room he had seen his new mama go into. When he got there, he quickly and quietly opened the door. In the much larger bed, a figure was quietly sleeping on their side. He walked up to the bed and grabbed handfuls of the doona with his small fists.

"M-Mama?" he whispered, shaking the woman slightly. Bethany didn't even stir. More thunder rumbled in the air and Itama shivered, shaking harder, "Mama, wake u-up" he sobbed, as louder thunder echoed through the house. Tears now flowed down the boys face once again, and he trembled in fear. When a large flash of lightning illuminated the whole sky, Itama shrieked, "MAMA!" he cried. Bethany flinched as she woke, looking around at the sound of quiet sobbing, "who's, their?" she asked, half asleep. When her eyes caught sight of her crying son, she slowly sat up in bed, "Itama? What's wrong?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. The boy was about to respond, when thunder growled in the sky, and the child squeaked and clung to her nighty. Bethany blinked in surprise, before she remembered what the orphanage matron had said to her: _"never makes a sound except during thunderstorms, where he cry's nonstop, and nothing anyone says or does will calm him down"_.

The young woman smiled softly, "you're afraid of the storm, is that it?" she asked gently. The boy said nothing, but when a flash of lighting appeared, he curled tighter into her, shaking and trembling. Bethany didn't protest, but instead wrapped her arms tightly around the boy and pulled him up into the bed with her, though he kept crying and shaking. The young mother thought for a moment, before a tender smile came to her lips. Holding the boy close to her, she began to sing quietly, : "Little child, be not afraid, the rain pounds harsh against the glass, like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger, I am here tonight," she closed her eyes, feeling the small boys body begin to relax in her arms, "little child, be not afraid, though thunder explodes, and lightning flash illuminates your tear-stained face, I am here tonight, and someday you'll know, that nature is so, this same rain that draws you near me, falls on rivers and land, and forests and sand, makes the beautiful world that we see, in the morning,".

Bethany laid down on the bed with Itama in her arms, pulling the covers over them, "little child, be not afraid, though rain clouds mask your beloved moon, and it's candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams, I am here tonight," she closed her eyes, as Itama curled closer to her, "little child, be not afraid, the wind makes creatures of our trees, and the branches to hands, they're not real understand, and I am here tonight," she began to stroke the boys hair softly, "and someday you'll know, that nature is so, this same rain that draws you near me, falls on rivers and land, and forests and sand, makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning," she smiled, and almost whispered the next part, while looking up towards the ceiling "for you know, once even I was a little child, and I was afraid, but a gentle someone always came," she sang, her voice becoming louder on the last part of that sentence, "to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears, and to give a kiss goodnight," her voice became it's normal volume again, and she continued softly, "well now I am grown, and these years have shown, rain's a part of how life goes, but it's dark and it's late, so I'll hold you and wait, till your frightened eyes do close," she closed her eyes, "and I hope that you'll know, that nature is so, this same rain that draws you near me, falls on rivers and land, and forests and sand, makes the beautiful world that you'll see in the morning,".

She bent her head back down again, laying her cheek against Itama's soft hair, "everything's fine in the morning, the rain will be gone in the morning, but I'll still be here in the morning" the last part she ended slowly, opening her eyes to look at her son. He was fast asleep in her arms, breathing softly, and even the quiet booms of thunder didn't wake him. Bethany smiled lovingly at the boy, kissing him on the forehead, and settled in the bed with her son in her arms. She gently adjusted the soft blankets covering the both of them and stroked his hair, "I love you, my precious son" she whispered, before closing her eyes and going to sleep as well.

 _ **Ì.Ľ**_

The next morning was beautiful and sunny. Bethany woke up and had a shower, careful not to wake Itama, who was still asleep on her bed. When she went to the kitchen to make breakfast, Itama padded down the hall with a smile on his face, "good morning, Mama" he said happily. Bethany smiled at him, "well, you look happy today" she said gently. Itama nodded, "well, I had a good sleep last night" he replied, sitting behind her at the table. The young woman paused for a moment, then a warm smile spread across her face. She turned around with two plates of food in her hands, "that's good, I'm glad" she said as she walked over to the table, placing their breakfast down on its surface, before sitting down across from her son. The boy beamed, "I love you Mama" he said, before beginning to eat. Bethany smiled and ate her own breakfast.

"I love you too Ita-Chan" she replied softly. She knew that being a mother wouldn't be easy, but she promised herself that she would do her best.

 **The End**


End file.
